Projects The bucket of ugly! A de-uglifying thread...

Isn't that Dodge the "Cancer Car" from a few years back?

Steve

 

Okay here goes. Powder blue roadster. I don't know why more of you don't build it. I love it. Anybody know why? It's the Kookie Kar painted light blue. Before you start telling me all the differences here is what I am talking about.
Mid 90s" W.B., substantial body rake, windshield leaned back at the same angle as the steering column, Big engine sitting too high and level, (actually it is leaned back a little on the blue one but not really enough to take away much from "the look", radiator/grill sitting too low, Front axle with the stock "Ford smile", (I don't know why more builders don't just raise the front spring bracket and save the $ you spent on a dropped axle), drum shoe brakes. Yeah guys that's the formula put together by the eye of an artist, the late great Norm Grabowski, and copied by me, the builder of the powder blue one and a bunch of clone builders. No it doesn't just happen when you bolt together a bunch of parts.

The cowl lamps would look better if they were mounted like Henry intended. A little lower on the stock windshield brackets. I actually ground mine off when I pie cut them to lean them back before I had them chromed. I knew I didn't need them.

But you guys go ahead and build what you want to, but just remember to pull your build out of the garage and step back 20 or 30 feet and look at it, and look at it, and look at it some more.

Gary

 

yes

Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

And when you do this take a picture and use as your desktop background.

 

So, what's the story on the "Cancer Car"?

 

Cancer Car:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-cancer-car-lives.166623/

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/?p=497

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-cancer-car-update.340433/

Steve

 

I've seen that front shock setup somewhere else and can't recall....... Nice looking build.

 

Getting back to the Blue T that Chip posted, I will agree with those who think the cowl lights need mounting down where they belong but that is the only thing I thought was wrong really. I absolutely love the headers/exhaust system as they are a complete break away from the normal. I noted too the large low slung headlights which really suit the style of the car. The engine has to be the icing on the cake and I'm so envious of the fact that you guys can still get reasonably easy different engines like the early Hemi', Rocket, Nailhead and Caddy engines to use in open cars. I'm sure the old speed equipment for those types of engines must be harder to fine now but they certainly make a difference over the normal small block Chev or Ford.

 

It's pretty hard to tell from that angle, but I'm pretty sure those are Headwinds brand motorcycle headlights. And I agree completely, although they're a very attractively styled light, they're just a little to small for an early hotrod.

 

More of a fad T but my buddy's dad built this in the early 70's and remains in the family and virtually unchanged.

 

Looked through all the "Cancer Car" threads.....wow!
Sorry that Mark lost the battle, but glad
he got the Dodge Altered finished.


What a badass HOT ROD!

 

Yes, sad about Mark.
That Dodge has, hands-down, the swoopiest flat windshield ever! I wonder if those are factory Dodge posts and frame that have been chopped and leaned back?

 

Yeah, this one has great bones - excellent stance, looks like an ideal wheelbase, just needs some of that Fad stuff rubbed off which looks like mainly bolt-ons - if it were mine and I had a few bucks I'd lose the brass rad and lights, cowl lamps, sprint headers and vel stacks, plate the windshield frame and tame down the rear wheels/tires and I'd be there! I'd add front brakes as well (unfortunately losing the "fuzzy" 12 spokes) and I'm not sure on the draglink but ...
Oh, and what's with the horizontal shocks on the axle???
I'd love to see and learn more of this one.

Steve

 

Steve, I wonder if those horizontal shocks are actually steering dampers?, maybe suffers from bump steer.( just a guess)

 

Kiwi, that could be - I've never seen two steering dampers mounted before but there's a first time for everything! Either way, it looks like a solid start - even the interior is tame enough to pass for a 60's build with the flat pleats. Love the color combo too.

Steve

 

Ya know, I kinda started this thread to get guys thinking back PAST this type of build. You know. another five years back or so, when these cars were more hot roddy than the typical fad "T" sort of deal. Thing is, over the last couple of years, I've looked at so many of the later sixties and early seventies cars that I have kinda gained a new respect for the breed. By the time this car was built, many more of them had gone so far over the top, that by comparison, this one fits more to the ethic of what this thread is about. My heart will always be with the early sixties 'buckets, but some of this era should be around to represent what it about.... This one would qualify as a "saver" in my book.

Were it mine, I'd machine the front wheels for some discs and build some caliper mounts for a pair of Airheart 175s, clean up everything, shine up the brass, Put some more appropriate Halibrands and slicks or cheaters on the back, remove and fix what ever caused the double steering dampers to be installed, and let it be!

I doubt it was done for any "statement" and probably just because money was tight, but the black windshield, and furthermore, the black cowl lamps mounted down low just flat work! The brassy headlights, although not my particular cup of tea, work with the brass radiator and cowl lamps quite well. I'd polish the living heel out of the 12 spokes though....

 

Heck, I'm glad you jumped in with those comments Chip as I was about to think that I had to sell of the new set of headers I have for my T as they are the sprint type too and I'm really trying to get my T back into the early to mid '60's. I saved the photo of you and Panda driving out from a show the other day and the exhaust you have on your T really says early '60's to me and are very similar to what was on the Big T model .

 

So, tonight I'm flipping through the crap on TV as I search the HAMB. I look up and there's a movie on with a Hemi T Bucket in it! The movie is "Dead Man's Curve",the Jan and Dean story. The bucket was in one of the opening scenes. Advance it to 11:40. Looks pretty cool.....

 

Cool - those look like early Tri-Y style headers - any idea on a make?

Steve

 

I noticed after I got over the Hemi. Sadly, I have no idea who made them. But they do look sweet.

 

2 1/2 hours to put 2 coats in the holes. One Shot and a 1/4" brush. More pics in my album.

 

So I had just asked the question not to long ago about how come there are so many Grabowski T clones, but very few (if any) Ivo T clones, and damned if one isn't featured in the new issue of Traditional Rod and Custom. It was a pretty nice one too!

 

Oh yeah, all the new bearings for my lower end showed up yesterday from King! That "should" be the last thing I needed to get my T back on the road!

 

Hey, what width rear end are you guys using? WMS to WMS? I think my last one was 56", but I'm not sure. What I do know is that I'd like one around 58".... I think.

 

FWIW... 64-67 Nova stock diff width is 57.75" The 10-bolt 8.2" is most common, 12-bolts exist but are rare (read: expensive) 62-63 are the same width but are 4-lug and have the drop-out style center section that is tougher to get parts for.

 

Fred, you can use the chart at this site to find the width rear end you want to use.

http://www.carnut.com/specs/rear.html

 

See, here's what I'm looking at. This is a pic of CCR's rear end assy. Notice the placement and angle of the radius rod bracket, in relation to the frame. Now, I'm thinking my last rear was 56", so my thought is that a 58" will give me the added room to replicate the CCR set up.


On my last T, the radius rods were located inward more and nearly 90* to the frame. The result was that the bottom edge of the body contacted the top rod of the radius rod. My thinking is if I used a slightly wider axle, I could mount my brackets further out.

Also, see how CCR's lower shock mount is inside the RR bracket? Well, my last set up was opposite. That's actually what may have been the real problem with my last set up.

This time around, I'm using ladder bars instead of radius rods. I want them 38" to 40" long and mounted at an angle like CCR's. So, will a 58" rear (WMS to WMS) be too wide or just right? My numbers say it'll be a good width, but I'd like the opinions of those who have more knowledge.

 

Thanks. I have that chart, but I'm trying to see which width I need for the look I want. Oh did I mention I want and have my eye on a 9" Trac loc? Well, I am now. I just want to know what width will look and work the best with a T Bucket.

 

Not sure what will work best for your plans Fred but for what it's worth my Winters QC is 56.5 " wide, the same as the 8" Maverick rear that I started out to use.

 

Okay, her's a pic of my old set up and CCR's.





See the difference in the bracket locations and the angle? Will a 56" axle do the job or a 58"?